Empty Crib
by LaurenMSL
Summary: Something's just happen... Something's happen for a reason...But this, this just happened, and now, our crib will be empty. RHr Revised once again, and better than ever!


LauryWeasley: I came up with the idea for this story seven in the morning, and I began to write it then. I think it was meant for me also, because certain obstacles prevented me from going to school. Well, here it is. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter...yet >)...

Nah, i'll never own it.

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_All those feelings, those yesterdays feelings will all be lost in time_

_but today I've wasted away for today is on my mind (today is on my mind)_- The Used, Yesterday's Feelings.

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_Somethings happen for a reason..._

_Some just happen..._

_But this, this just happened, and now, our crib will be empty;_

"Keep your eyes closed 'Mione!" Ron said, his hand clamped over his very pregnant wife's, leading her.

"Where are we going?" Hermione asked, confused. Ron always did things like this for her. It was a part of him that made her love him so much. Especially now, when she was with their child, things like this were special to the both of them. Of course, even without this spontaneous crazy side of him, she would love him. He was her soul mate.

"You'll see," Ron smiled that same mischievous grin. In a few weeks, days even, Ron Weasley was going to be a father. A father! Imagine that! The excitement that ran through his body when he found out was nothing less than extravagant. From the day he married Hermione Jane Granger, he knew he wanted her to have his babies, and now it was finally happening.

He got to they're destination, and opened the door.

"Open your eyes," Hermione's eyes fluttered open, and she gasped.

The room was a reasonable size, painted blue with trim of clouds. Its ceiling enchanted, much like the Great Hall at Hogwarts, the school they previously attended for seven years, and met in. In the room, there sat a large rocking chair, a changing table, a dresser and a beautiful pearl white crib. Hermione's hand flew to her mouth and she ran into her husband's arms.

"Oh Ron, its brilliant! Did you do it?" Ron nodded and that ever-so-famous Weasley blush crept upon his cheeks. Hermione smiled and walked over to the rocking chair, it was wooden and had blue cushions tied to the arms and legs. It looked a lot like the one her mother had in her attic. The one she used to hear stories about when she was little, of her being held by her own mum and rocked off to sleep. Hermione could hardly wait until she was able to do that with her own child. She sat down in it and imagined herself a few weeks from now doing that such thing. Hermione took another look around the room. She could now see pictures on the wall. Pictures of them, of Harry and Ginny, and of the rest of the Weasley's. There was also one, muggle photograph of course, of her own mum and dad.

She got up from the chair and went over to the changing table, it was white like the crib, but much less detailed. It was stocked full of diapers and cremes and powders. Next to it, was the dresser, again white, filled with all the new baby clothes they had received from Hermione's shower. The shower was done and planned by Ginny of course. She wanted to do it, she said. Nevertheless, it was wonderful. All her family and friends attended and brought her all sorts of things for the baby.

Last but not least, she walked over to the large crib. Inside, it was lined with blue sheets, and a variety of stuffed animals. Atop it was a canopy, with white sheets hanging down from it. A wheel with small animals was spinning and making music above the crib. A tear dropped down Hermione's face, but she ignored it and rubbed her excessively large stomach. Ron came up behind her and placed his arms around her shoulders. He dropped his hands down to her stomach to meet hers. He was still amazed at how there was a living, breathing person inside of her, and even more amazed at the fact that he/she was theirs. Something they made together. Ron hadn't made anything he could be proud of in his life, but this... This was him at his best.

"Like it?" He asked. She simply turned around and hugged him harder.

"I love it. I love you," Ron grinned and brought her chin up to meet her lips with his.

_Sometimes you think things are going great,_

_And you don't need to worry..._

_No cares in the world..._

_That's when it hits._

_That's why our crib is empty._

"Ron?" Hermione sat up in bed, a bit sweaty. Ron turned to face her. Things like this would happen ever so often. She would have a bad dream, sometimes about the baby, and wake up in the middle of the night. He didn't mind though, she was giving him the most precious thing in the world.

"Hmm?" Sleep still covered is face, but when he saw his wife, it blew away like a flyer on a bench in October.

"It's time," She rubbed her stomach once again and tried to keep a straight face, but the pain of her contractions we're starting to get to her. The bed beneath her was wet, and she squirmed around. Ron quickly got up, noting that this wasn't just a bad dream, and placed on a pair of trousers and a t-shirt. He went over to her side and helped her to a sitting position, with her feet on the floor. This was it, he thought. This was the day his child would come into the world. After today, everything would be different.

Ron brought her a new nightgown and as she changed, he grabbed her night bag that they had prepared. She disposed of the wet one and got up off the bed. Ron placed his arm around her waist and helped her down the hall. She stopped short for a second and looked to her left. Confused, Ron did the same.

He smiled, the door to their baby's new nursery was open. She stared at the crib and became overcome with anticipation, a few more hours and it would be filled. Hermione stared at the beautiful crib for a few more seconds and nodded to Ron.

"Come on, love."

_Blimey I was excited. _

_I think if I hadn't gotten so much patience and composure in my years, I would've fainted in nervousness. _

_Definitely,_

_But luckily, I didn't. I stood my ground. To help my wife. Merlin,_

_she was bloody beautiful that day, giving birth to my child. I _

_think that was the most beautiful I've ever seen her. I wouldn't _

_trade that for anything in the world. _

_Then...we found out._

"Mr. and Mrs.Weasley?" A tall blonde woman walked into the hospital room at St.Mungo's that Hermione currently resided in. She held a clipboard in one hand and a pen in the other. Ron nodded, and held on to his wife's hand as she finished another contraction. He didn't like the look on that woman's face when she came in. He knew something was wrong. But, him being himself, Ron put aside all possibilities of anything going wrong.

"Listen, your baby's cord is wrapped around his neck," Hermione jumped up in shock. 'No...NO!', she thought. She couldn't believe that this was happening to her baby, _HERS!_ Sure, this happened before, but to other people! Why her?

"What! How did that happen? Is my baby okay?"

"For now, he's fine. But if we don't preform a cesarean section soon, he might suffocate. It is very common Mrs. Weasley, but even in the wizarding world, we have no alternative of saving him." Ron placed his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands, rubbing his temples. He knew it. There was something wrong. He began to believe that him denying anything going wrong made it worse. Everything was not perfect. His baby was dying.

"Do it. Cut me bloody open, just save my baby," The healer nodded and wrote something on her clipboard. Ron grabbed Hermione's hand again, tracing his thumb over her knuckles. 'I can't take this. She can't take this. She shouldn't have to,' he thought. Ron looked over to the bed, Hermione was still sitting up, but slouched back. He felt her hand squeeze his.

"I will be back in ten minutes to take you to the operating room. You shouldn't worry, it does happen all the time Mrs. Weasley. All the best,"

_Ha..._

_All the best..._

_That's bloody hilarious. A small part of me _

_wanted to sue that hospital. But they couldn't do anything._

_They couldn't help the pain I have now..._

_They couldn't help the pain Hermione will go through _

_the rest of her life..._

_They couldn't fill the empty crib sitting in the nursery..._

_Alone_

Ron nervously twiddles with his thumbs in the waiting room. His mum beside him on the right, and Harry on the left with his arm around Ron's shoulder. 'This shouldn't happen to people like Ron and Hermione', Harry thought. They've been through so much, and when something is about to happen to make their lives so much better, this happen's. Show's how good people are rewarded in this world.

"It should be fine mate," He assure's him. Ron sighs. 'She's strong Weasley. She can get through this. Calm your bloody arse down,' he thinks to himself. He knew it wasn't going to be okay. He knew it. Something inside of him told him that this wasn't right. Everyone knew. But all chose to ignore the fact that it might end up coming out the way they thought.

Sometimes you just want to be wrong.

"Yes, it's alright dear. I'm sure they'll both be fine." Mrs. Weasley grabbed one of her sons hands.

"Mr. Weasley?" Ron jumped up as his name was called.

"Come with me," The tall blonde healer lead him into the hallway. From seeing all those doctoring shows Hermione made him watch on the fellytision, he knew this wasn't good.

"Your wife is fine," Ron let out a breath of relief.

"But, your son. By the time we took him out, he already stopped breathing. We tried the best we could Mr.Weasley. I'm sorry," Then, it hit him like a ton of bricks. Tears began to pour freely from his eyes. His son was gone. The thing he waited for, for most of his life, went away in less than an hour. It's funny how some people take advantage of things like this. But no, that's it. His son was dead, and there was nothing he could do. He thought about a lot of things while listening to the nurse talk. About how he would never get to see how his son would grow up. To see what he would be like. He also thought about Hermione, and how she's probably much worse than he is.

"C-can I see Hermione?" The nurse nodded.

"She's in recovery, but you should be able to see her in a few minutes. You might want to inform your family first," She said, placing a hand on his shoulder. Comfort. That's what he needed.

"I really am sorry," She said, Ron nodded and she turned back down the hall.

Ron stood there for a few seconds, weeping. He hated it. Hermione didn't deserve this. She deserved better than this. She didn't have the easiest life either, and now they have to put her through this crap? No. Its not fair. Nice guys do finish last after all.

After awhile of cooling down. He entered the waiting room once more. All the Weasleys watched him, his head bent down. Mrs. Weasley walked over to him and hugged him tighter than she ever had before. She knew what had happened. The second after her son left the room she knew. Her grandson was gone. Losing a child was one of the most awful things that could ever happen. Thankfully, she never had to go through it, but her son did. And she had just lost a grandson.

"—Mum...he's...g-go-"

"I know love, its okay." She cut him off. Ron sobbed loudly into her shoulder. He felt like a little boy again, crying to his mummy after falling and getting a scrape on his knee. He felt helpless and young. He couldn't do anything. His son just passed, and he had no way of helping him. He started to blame himself for awhile. But thinking about Hermione made him turn his thoughts back around.

_Forget the war.._

_Forget Voldemort..._

_This, this was one of my greatest fears._

_This was the worst day of my life. _

_The day, our crib became empty._

Ron walked into the hospital room once more. Hermione clutched her pillow tight, like Ron, tears falling onto her face. He's gone. Her little boy. Gone. Dead. She looked up and saw Ron standing over her, looking to be in the same state she was, miserable.

"Oh...Ron..." He quickly bent onto the bed and sat beside her. He took her in his arms and let her cry into his chest.

"Its okay, love. We'll get through this." He knew they would get through it, it would take a hell of a long time, but together they could do anything.

"Ron...I just...I can't. It's hard!" She continued to weep. She hated it. She hated it all. She hated all that she's been through. Hated having hope for something and in seconds seeing it be crashed down in front of her eyes.

"I know. I know. Its going to be hard, love. Just remember, he's up there with Harrys Parents, and Sirius. I'm sure they'll take good care of him right?" He brought her chin up. She nodded, salty tears covering her flushed face. He embraced her once again. All the people that they've lost would never amount to this. They hadn't even got to meet they're son. At least they knew that there were people there, who could take care of and watch over him. That gave them hope.

"I love you, I love you, I love you..." He rocked her back and forth and she cried.

"Zachary James..."

"What?" He pulled her arms length away and stared into her dark eyes.

"That's what I named him...Zachary James..." She smiled through her tears. Ron kissed the top of her unruly hair and attempted a smile also.

"Zach...I love it."

_And That's where it ends. _

_Our Zachary is up in heaven now, with our _

_other lost friends and family. _

_One less member of the Weasley family._

_One less crib occupied._


End file.
